The Casio Signature XJ-M145 ($1,199.99 direct) and other projectors in Casio’s new Signature projector line use the same long-lasting hybrid LED/laser light source as the Casio Green Slim XJ-A145U ($999.99 direct) and a few closely related models. Not only does the light source essentially last for the life of the projector, it’s also mercury free. The XJ-M145 is larger and pricier than the Green Slim, but provides a few flourishes that the XJ-A145U lacks.

Similar Products

The XJ-M145’s light source is rated at 2,500 lumens and has XGA (1,024 by 768) native resolution. Instead of producing red, green, and blue using a standard lamp and a color wheel, it produces red with LEDs, blue with lasers, and green by shining the blue laser light on a phosphor. Its optical system directs the red, green, and blue light to the DLP chip, and out the front lens.

One of the key advantages of the hybrid light source is its whopping 20,000-hour expected lifetime—long enough to run the projector eight hours a day every business day for 10 years. The lifetime of standard lamps typically ranges from 2,000 to 5,000 hours, and bulbs can cost several hundred dollars to replace.

Size and Connectivity

The XJ-M145 measures 3.3 by 12.2 by 9.6 inches (HWD), and it weighs 8.2 pounds. (The Green Slim XJ-A145U weighs 5 pounds.) Although it’s heavy enough that you might not want to lug it regularly, it’s fine for the occasional trip. It comes with a soft carrying case, complete with a pocket for cables.

That said, the XJ-M145 is able to read JPG and AVI files from a USB memory key, so you can read your presentation from the USB key and leave your notebook at home. Plug in a USB key, and the projector will automatically switch to it as the current source, and then give you a menu of options to find the files on the key and show them. (Casio includes a Casio-specific version of ArcSoft MediaConverter to move most common formats to JPG or AVI.).

The XJ-M145 can also connect wirelessly with Wi-Fi-enabled Android, iOS, and Windows Mobile smartphones and computers running MobiShow software, so you can run a presentation from these devices.

Other connectors include an HDMI port for a computer or video source; a VGA port for a computer, which also doubles as a component video port; S-Video, composite video; audio in, audio out, a serial port, and an Ethernet LAN connection.

A new feature is an intelligent brightness control that utilizes built-in light sensors to automatically adjust the brightness level of the projection to suit the lighting conditions in the surrounding environment, minimizing power consumption by using no more than the level of brightness actually required.

Image Quality

The XJ-M145 is bright enough to throw a fairly large image even in a brightly lit room. I did most of the still and video image testing under theater-dark conditions, projecting an approximately 6 foot diagonal image on our test screen

The projector in general did well on our suite of DisplayMate tests (www.displaymate.com. Colors were bright and well saturated, though they didn’t always seem true. Yellows frequently looked mustard-like, and some grays had a slight greenish tint. On our text tests, type was somewhat blurry at the smallest size, yet still readable.

The XJ-M145, like all DLP projectors, has the potential for showing a rainbow effect in which light areas break up into their component colors when you shift your gaze or in a moving image. I’m of average sensitivity to the effect, and noticed it in several data images—it was relatively pronounced for a DLP projector but probably not an impediment in data presentations. All in all, the Signature should be fine for any typical data presentation needs, though I’d hesitate to use it in situations where exacting color is required.

The projector is adequate for short video clips, but I’d be hesitant to use it for medium-length clips, let alone movies. Colors sometimes seemed a bit off, but the real issue was the rainbow effect. It was frequently a distraction, particularly in test scenes from Terminator 2 that showed bright elements against dark backgrounds. If you’re not sensitive to it, it may not be an issue for you, but the same may not be true of your audience.

One bright spot was the built-in audio system. While many similarly equipped projectors are barely audible, the Signature’s 5-watt mono speaker pumps out a decent volume, loud enough to fill a small conference room.

Another plus for the XJ-M145 is its warranty, at three years for the projector itself, which is longer than many projectors offer, plus 6,000 hours for the light source. That's well short of the 20,000-hour rating for its lifetime, but it's a lot longer than the usual 90 days for a lamp. It’s likely that the light source will outlast the projector.

The XJ-M145 is a 3D-capable projector; it requires active-shutter DLP-link compatible 3D glasses. Casio sells its own branded glasses for $129.99 (direct) per pair, and active-shutter DLP-link glasses are available from other manufacturers for considerably less.

At a slightly higher price than the Green Slim XJ-A145U, the Casio Signature XJ-M145 adds some goodies like 3D readiness, Wi-Fi streaming of presentations via MobiShow, and intelligent brightness control. The Signature is heavier than the Green Slim, though, and not as easily portable. The Editors’ Choice NEC NP-M260W ($850 street) is two pounds lighter than the XJ-M145, provides higher (WXGA) resolution, great image quality, and a raft of connectivity choices. It does lack that long-lasting, hybrid light source, though.

Read More

About the Author

As Analyst for printers, scanners, and projectors, Tony Hoffman tests and reviews these products and provides news coverage for these categories. Tony has worked at PC Magazine since 2004, first as a Staff Editor, then as Reviews Editor, and more recently as Managing Editor for the printers, scanners, and projectors team.
In addition to editing, T... See Full Bio

Casio Signature XJ-M145

Casio Signature XJ-M145

Get Our Best Stories!

This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. Subscribing to a newsletter indicates your consent to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe from the newsletters at any time.